A simple message in a Tasmania Newspaper announced a death all Australians should be aware of. Faole Bokai, believed to be the last of our Fuzzy Wuzzy angels, passed away in his home village of Manari late last week. While everybody was busy talking about the death of famous musicians John English and Glen Frey, a piece of Australian history was lost and people barely noticed.
“Dear Editor,
The death announced today of the last Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel in his village in Papua New Guinea should be acknowledged very loudly throughout Australia.
His name was Faole Bokoi. His village was Manari. He’ll be briefly mentioned in the news.
Bit late now, but perhaps the PM could award him a posthumous Order of Australia representing the heroic support by many Fuzzy Wuzzies during World War 2.
Now that would surely be an applauded Captain’s Choice.
J. Haswell,
Philippines”
On July 21st 1942 Japanese troops landed in Papua New Guinea, their intentions were to forcefully take control of Port Moresby, which would put mainland Australia directly at risk of Japanese invasion. Australian troops were sent to help stave off the Japanese and what ensued was one of the bloodiest (and Australia’s most significant) campaigns, of World War II. The Kokoda Trail campaign.
Most of Australia’s troops were busy fighting in Europe when Japan attacked, so the majority of troops sent to Papua were fresh, unskilled and untrained. Many young men were sent to their slaughter and many more Australian lives would have been lost if it weren’t for the Fuzzy Wuzzy angels, these brave and compassionate Papuan people knew the trail like the back of their hands, giving them an advantage over the Japanese. They worked tirelessly to carry wounded soldiers back to safety.
“They carried stretchers over seemingly impassable barriers, with the patient reasonably comfortable. The care they give to the patient is magnificent. If night finds the stretcher still on the track, they will find a level spot and build a shelter over the patient. They will make him as comfortable as possible fetch him water and feed him if food is available, regardless of their own needs. They sleep four each side of the stretcher and if the patient moves or requires any attention during the night, this is given instantly. These were the deeds of the ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels’ – for us!” An unknown digger.
As children we all learn the story of the Kokoda trail and the angels who saved our soldiers in the jungle. These events should have cemented relationships between Australia and the Papuan’s forever. Sadly this is not the case.
Currently half of Papua New Guinea is occupied and controlled by Indonesia. West Papua is a beautiful land which is extremely rich in natural resources such as gold, copper, nickel and gas and it is Indonesia’s biggest source of tax revenue.
For roughly four decades Indonesia has put heavy restrictions on Media and human rights groups who want access to the West Papuan region, essentially creating a media blackout. Activists against the Indonesian oppression are frequently jailed, murdered or simply disappear. This makes West Papua one of the least covered armed conflicts in the world. West Papuan people have been fighting against Indonesian occupation since 1969. There are no official statistics on how many Papuans have been killed by Indonesian authorities but numbers reported are up to 500,000 people.
So, while the Papuan people were there for Australia when we needed help, where is Australia when the West Papuans need help?
Our troops are busy training Indonesian troops so they can butcher, rape and slaughter the West Papuans more effectively. Our government is busy with big mining corporate lobbyists from Australian companies who have some of the biggest mines in West Papua under authority of Indonesia. We are busy paying attention to Kanye’s multi-million dollar debt and what Kim Kardashian is wearing today. Why are we allowing the brutal genocide of our neighbours and beloved allies?
J. Haswell makes a good point in their letter: “Bit late now, but perhaps the PM could award him a posthumous Order of Australia representing the heroic support by many Fuzzy Wuzzies during World War 2.”
No Fuzzy Wuzzy angels have ever been awarded this medal. Yet Tony Abbott had the nerve to award General Shigeru Iwasaki the order of Australia medal for distinguished service in the Japanese defence force.
It is a shameful disgrace that Australia has overlooked the Papuan people for so long.
“Not a move to hurt the wounded as they treat him like a saint
It’s a picture worth recording that an artist’s yet to paint
Many a lad will see his mother and husbands see their wives
Just because the fuzzy wuzzy carried them to save their lives
From mortar bombs and machine gun fire or chance surprise attacks
To the safety and the care of doctors at the bottom of the track
May the mothers of Australia when they offer up a prayer
Mention those impromptu angels with their fuzzy wuzzy hair.”
– Bert Beros
Faole Bokai, Fuzzy Wuzzy angel.
R.I.P Faole Bokai,
Lest we forget.
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